While many in our federal government are financially irresponsible, Chattanooga's Republican Congressman Chuck Fleischmann is co-sponsoring a resolution in the House of Representatives calling for a balanced budget amendment to our Constitution. Such an amendment "is one of the reasons why I ran for Congress," he said, "and is a matter of national importance."
Fleischmann noted that the state of Tennessee as well as American families must find ways to balance their own budgets, even as the federal government piles up unsustainable debt.
"This is outrageous and is one of the reasons our country is in the midst of a financial crisis," he said in a news release.
Day-to-day congressional votes to cut spending are necessary, he noted, but a balanced budget amendment "would go much further and would actually force politicians in Washington to balance our bottom line.
"While one might think balancing a budget would be common sense, unfortunately common sense seems to evade a number of elected officials; therefore, we need an amendment that forces the federal government to balance their budget. This amendment is needed now, so politicians can no longer kick the can down the road."
Fleischmann obviously is bucking the congressional trend, and undoubtedly will have a hard time advancing his proposed balanced budget amendment.
But he is also obviously right!